Three years have passed, and Three Willows is on the verge of becoming obsolete. The drought that took hold after the departure of the Founders was one thing, but now the new train line threatens to leave the town in the dust. Jessalyn and Sam are determined to keep that from happening, but theyâre short on ideas.Â
ï»żâšï»żTheir prayers are answered by the arrival of Bijou Bordeaux, a traveling singer, and her husband, who offer their fame and talent to help rejuvenate the town. But the Bordeauxs may not be everything they promise, and after a series of mysterious fires, Jessalyn and Sam are left wondering who they can trust.âš
Return to Three Willows with the second installment of this action-packed series set in the post-Civil War era Southwest. Huszarâs unique blend of fantasy with Wild West adventure and romance makes this a must-read.
Three years have passed, and Three Willows is on the verge of becoming obsolete. The drought that took hold after the departure of the Founders was one thing, but now the new train line threatens to leave the town in the dust. Jessalyn and Sam are determined to keep that from happening, but theyâre short on ideas.Â
ï»żâšï»żTheir prayers are answered by the arrival of Bijou Bordeaux, a traveling singer, and her husband, who offer their fame and talent to help rejuvenate the town. But the Bordeauxs may not be everything they promise, and after a series of mysterious fires, Jessalyn and Sam are left wondering who they can trust.âš
Return to Three Willows with the second installment of this action-packed series set in the post-Civil War era Southwest. Huszarâs unique blend of fantasy with Wild West adventure and romance makes this a must-read.
There was something comforting about the smell of smoke. It wove through Louis Bordeauxâs memories, connecting them all like a delicate thread. The London streets where he had grown up. The tiny, dirty cafĂ© in Paris. His wifeâs own special perfume. It was a scent he would never tire of.
Grasping the well-worn handle, Louis pulled open the door to the caravan. The three floating steps creaked under his weight as he stepped inside. The air hung thick with the scent of cinnamon, pepper, and hot wax. Picking his way around the pillows that had fallen to the floor, a loose shoe, and a rack of costumes askew, Louis approached the beaded curtain that encircled a corner of the caravan, toward the driverâs seat.
âĂcoutez-moi, anciens. Pouvez-vous sentir la chaleur? Pouvez-vous voir la flamme? Je vous ai donnĂ© du sang et jâai pris votre pouvoir.â
Bijouâs voice floated through the heavy air like a melody. The strings of faintly pink crystalline beads tinkled softly as Louis parted the curtain with a hand. His wife knelt in front of a low table, surrounded by lit candles, speaking fervently in French. The objects she prayed to were familiar to Louis. A leather-bound book, a heart sculpted from opal, and a tied bundle of herbs, burning at one end. Thin tendrils of smoke spiraled into the air.Â
Bijou waved her hands over the torch, fanning the embers and pulling more smoke up toward the ceiling. As she moved, her glossy red curls twisted and swayed, draped across her bare back.Â
He hated to disturb her like this. Bijou looked just as beautiful when she prayed as when she sang, but they were unfortunately out of time. âBijou, my jewel,â Louis said, âare you just about finished? Itâs time we made our exit.â
âOui, mon ange.â Bijou took a deep breath and extinguished the candles around the table. With a white cloth, she smothered the smoking torch.Â
âLovely, lovely,â said Louis. He paused, brushing his hand down the front of his waistcoat. âYouâre certain of our next move? Out west?â
Bijou continued carefully stowing away the artifacts. âOui,â she answered calmly. âThe cities grow bigger, but the people grow louder. People talk. And we have too many secrets. After tonight, we cannot stay in Tennessee. We cannot even stay in the east.âÂ
A part of Louis wasnât sure about this move. It was so far, and would be very different from what theyâd known. He had always thought bustling cities were more beneficial for their plans, and offered them the most opportunities. Frankly, he was the most comfortable in a populous metropolis. Surely, there had to be some place suitable for their work that was closer than the unsettled frontier. However, the order had come from the higher authorities, as did all their destinations, and Bijou didnât seem troubled. If this was what they had to do, then he would see it done. He always did.Â
Louis knelt behind his wife and pressed his cheek against the curve of her neck and shoulder. âI understand,â he said. âWeâll have some fun with it. It will be just like the old days. You and I and nothing ahead of us but miles and miles. Simple times, when we were just two fools in love.â
Bijou leaned back against him. âLouis, we are still fools.â
âThen you are the best mistake I ever made.â He sank a warm kiss into her cheek.Â
She turned, and their lips met. Louis welcomed her heat and breathed deeply of her smoky, spicy scent that gave him more life than simple air ever could.Â
âRight then,â he said when they broke apart. âLet us be off.â
Louis exited the caravan, and walked around to the opposite side, hoisting himself into the driverâs seat and gathering the reins. He took one last look at the city they were leaving behind. The city they would never return to. The city that wouldnât last much longer.Â
No stars could pierce the shroud of smoke that hung in the sky. The sounds of screams and panic rolled in from a distance. A timber cracked. Something inside one of the buildings had collapsed, a staircase maybe. Flames erupted from top-story windows. Flames licked the edges of doors. Flames spilled into the streets.Â
Beautiful, beautiful flames.Â
This intriguing story introduces us to a variety of characters with undeniable and fervent chemistry that keeps us turning pages.
Three Willows, a town haunted by tragedy and uncertainty, is home to Jessalyn Joy and Samuel Brooksâtwo old friends who share a profound bond of trust and companionship. Samuel owns a popular bar in town; Jessalyn is the town teacher, and theyâre now loaded with the task of returning their town to its former glory. However, Three Willows now faces the arrival of two strangersâLouis and Bijou Bordeauxâthat promise to bring joy and popularity to the town with their ostentatious shows and witty personalities.
The book slowly delves into the airy dynamics of Jessalyn and Samuelâs friendship and those around them. Little by little, weâre introduced to these charactersâ blatant magnetism as we also have a taste of peculiar personas that feed the storyâs ambiance of a small townâs typical chattery townsfolk.
The straightforward writing successfully describes dynamic and fluent scenes while it also lets you make up your own imagery of the characters, locations, and interactions. Piece by piece, the story delivers intricate details that allow you to unravel the mysteries and secrets the authorâs still holding on to. With a particular plot that distinctively blends magic, fantasy, and drama, the charactersâ essence is quickly and expertly captured. Each character goes through a personal journey that fuels the story with different perspectives of their actions, emotions, and decisions. Every character adds a touch of excitement and truthfulness to the story, as theyâre written as honest and realistic.
Throughout the story, several themes are addressedâgrief, family issues, and unrequited love, making it a rather entertaining tale of a small townâs diversity of personalities and trouble.
Although Iâve yet to read the prequel, I recommend this book to those looking for a short, slow-paced, page-turner with amusing characters and a fascinating story.Â